Health Care Issues Loom Over Georgia’s 6th District Race

The issue of health care has loomed over the race between Republican Karen Handel and Democrat Jon Ossoff, who face each other in a runoff on Tuesday. First, the reason there is a special election in the 6th District is because former Congressman Tom Price resigned to become the U.S. Secretary of Health and Human Services.

The district also is home to “Pill Hill” in Sandy Springs, which is a major hub of hospitals and doctors’ offices. When the House passed a health care bill last month, many in the district were watching.

Lisa Allen, a nurse at a private practice, said she’d like to see the bill changed.

“There’s no health care plan that’s perfect. I think there’s something better out there. I don’t think we’re there yet and I think it definitely needs improvement,” she said.

At an early voting location in Dunwoody, Mary Francell-Sharfstein said she’s worried the plan will leave her daughter, who has a pre-existing condition, uninsured.

“It’s a human right to have health care. I don’t think it should be an optional thing, that if you can’t pay, then you just die. I don’t think that’s right,” Francell-Sharfstein said.

Dunwoody resident Bob Reid also said he doesn’t like the health care plan in Congress, but for him, it’s because he believes the federal government would still have too big of a role.

“I think it’s pretty stinky. It’s like Obamacare-lite,” he said. “Getting rid of Obamacare would be like a start, but I trace all the problems we have in health care back to the federal government – the more they’re involved, the worse it is.”

Cindy Kahn, a small business owner in the district, said her insurance premiums have more than doubled over the last four years to cover herself and her son. She said she’d like to see a change to Obamacare but wants to see Democrats and Republicans working together on the issue.

“Just like in any business deal, any relationship, it’s give and take, and I think they need to think about the common good of the people, not the common good of their party,” Kahn said.

The health care bill could come back to the House for consideration, if the Senate makes and passes changes – at which point, the 6th District will have its own representative in Congress.